Waqar calls for consistency in Test cricket

Waqar Younis will take over as Pakistan's new cricket coach from next week as he looks to turn an inconsistent Pakistan team into a force to reckon with at the Test level.

The former pacer has been given a contract until the 2011 World Cup. Waqar stated that while his immediate aim is to prepare the team for the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies, the long term aim is the improvement in Test cricket.

"We have not been doing well in Test matches for the last three years and that is terrible since we have always been a good Test side," Waqar said in an interview from Sydney.

"It is good that we are the defending champions in the Twenty20 World Cup and also have a strong one-day line-up but the real challenge is doing well in test cricket and becoming a top test team," he noted.

Pakistan are currently ranked seventh in the ICC Test rankings and last won a Test series in 2006 against the West Indies at home. Since then they have not been able to win a series either against South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand or Australia.

"It is true that playing just four or five Tests between December 07 and July 09 has not helped the players at all and this has hurt their confidence and approach to Test cricket."

Pakistan is due to play around 12 tests against Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand over a period of eight months. The team will first take on Australia in England in May.